The Old Friend
by MalMarvelWho
Summary: After the events of The Angels Take Manhattan, the Doctor is left feeling lonely. That is, until an old friend comes along. An old friend that can't die.
1. River

Chapter 1: River

The Doctor walked slowly back into the Tardis. The look in young Amelia's eyes was absolutely heartbreaking when he told her.

"**I want to go with you now raggedy man. I don't want to wait."**

"**Amelia, I'm sorry but you have to patient. I promise the fun times you'll have will make up for the waiting."**

"**Please please please take me now!"**

"Sweetie? Are you okay?" River's smooth voice snapped the Doctor back into the present. "Surely my young mum wasn't that bad." She put her hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. The Doctor turned away and fiddled with the monitor.

"So where to Ms. Song? I don't know where you're located now that you're out of prison."

"Doctor, you didn't answer my question."

"And you didn't answer mine."

"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to cry every once in a while. You don't always have to put on a brave face. Now stop pretending to be looking at something important and come over here." River outstretched her arms. The Doctor dragged his feet over to her. He didn't want to refuse a hug and make his wife mad, especially since she just lost her parents. River wrapped her arms around him and started slowly rocking him back and forth. It was then he started sobbing.

They stood like that for several minutes before River whispered in his ear "You can drop me off anywhere, anytime you like. Not knowing where you're going is the most fun a girl can have."

The Doctor wiped his eyes on his sleeve and flicked a lever on the console. The Tardis whirred. River held the Doctor's hand as they gripped on to the railing, trying not to be flung across the other side of the Tardis.

As soon as it had taken off, the Tardis landed. "Well, I guess this is my stop." River opened the door to see the Sydney Opera House. "Hmmm, Australia. What year?"

"1995. I thought you'd want something not too far into the past." The Doctor grinned.

"Thank you sweetie, I'm going to have some fun here. But one last thing before I go, find someone. You know what you're like when you travel alone." River shut the door.

The Doctor knew he had to find someone, but the wound left by the Pond's was still fresh. He felt like he needed some time alone. He slammed down on a button and the Tardis took off. He still had one last thing to do.


	2. Goodbye Doctor

Chapter 2: Goodbye Doctor

Brian Williams was watering his son's plants when the Tardis materialised in the backyard. _They're back _he thought._ I wonder what they've been doing in the past 6 months. Most likely battling a robot._

The Doctor stepped out of the Tardis. Brian looked around him but there was no sign of Rory and Amy. _Are they hiding from me? _

"Brian, you might want to sit down. I have some news."

"I'll be find standing. Where are Rory and Amy?"

"That's the thing. I couldn't save them. I'm sorry Brian."

Brian dropped the watering can he was holding. The cold water splashed everywhere but he didn't care. The blood drained from his face. His son was dead. His daughter in law was dead. Brian pulled out a garden chair to sit down on. The Doctor did the same.

"How did it happen?" That was the only thing Brian wanted to know. He didn't want to know whether the Doctor was directly responsible for what happened or whether they died in each other's arms, like he always jokingly said they would.

"They got sent back in time. If I tried to go back and rescue them, the whole of reality would have fallen apart. I'm so sorry Brian. I can't say that enough. But they lived happy and long lives. They didn't have any children but they were happy together."

Brian looked up at the Doctor. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. _I have to try and lighten the mood somehow._

"Well, as long as they were happy, I guess that was the most important thing."

"You're not mad at me?" The Doctor sniffled.

"Doctor, you gave them a life they could never have had here. You made them happy. And I will always be thankful for that."

"Brian, do you want to have a trip one last trip in the Tardis? We could go anywhere you wanted."

Brian was stunned. He didn't think the Doctor would ask him that. The Tardis was no place for a man of his age.

"Doctor, as much as I would love to, I can't. It would only bring up pain. And the only reason you're asking is because you feel guilty. Well don't. You can't be a hero all the time. And reality is more important than two people. I'm sure you'll find someone to travel with." Brian winked. Even in as tough of a situation as this, his humorous side always won out.

"But that's the thing. I have no one else. I don't want to recruit a new person to be my companion because I've already ruined so many lives."

"You don't ruin lives, you enlighten them Doctor. The amount of times Amy would talk about something she learnt from you was amazing. Stop beating yourself up over what happened. Besides, I'm sure someone as old as you would have some friends who would still love to travel."

The Doctor jumped off the garden chair. "Oh Brian Pond, you still amaze me!"

"I'm still not a Pond."

"Sorry, it's a habit." The Doctor walked back to the Tardis and opened the door. "Have a good life Brian and be magnificent."

The Doctor closed the door and the Tardis dematerialised. Brian looked at the spot where the Tardis had just been. He was most likely never going to see that police box again. "Goodbye Doctor."

He hopped out of the chair and picked up the watering can. _Well at least I don't have to water the plants anymore._


	3. Reunion

Chapter 3: Reunion

Jack Harkness slowly sipped his whisky as he looked around the bar. There was a picture of Marilyn Monroe on the wall. Considering she died over 200 years ago, the owners must have paid through the nose to get it. Unless the owners were as old as him, then they probably would have only paid $20.

Jack's thoughts were interrupted when a tall, lanky man pulled up a stool next to him. Lanky had brown hair cut into a weird shape that oddly worked on him. His whole face looked rectangular and his eyes had a youthful vibrancy but a hint of sadness to them. The most peculiar thing about this man was the fez he was wearing. _Who wears fezzes these days?_ Jack concluded he must be a kindergarten teacher.

"Barkeep!" Lanky waved his hand frantically at the bartender. "Got any tea?"

It was then that Jack burst out in a fit of laughter. "You come to a bar and you ask for tea? Are you crazy? Have you ever been in a bar before?" He was laughing so much he could barely breathe. He was banging his hand up and down on the mahogany bench. His face was going red.

"Oh shut up Jack." Lanky rolled his eyes. Jack stopped laughing. He was deadly serious now. _Who is this guy and how does he know my name? _

Then it occurred to him. The fez, the tea, the slight sarcasm. He only knew one man as crazy as that.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor smiled. "It's good to see you again Jack. It's been a while."

Jack embraced the man he knew so well but barely knew at all. "You have to stop getting a new look every time I see you. It's hard to keep up! And what's with the fez?"

"Fezzes are cool! And so is my bow tie." The Doctor struggled to point at the burgundy bow tie. "And you can stop hugging me now. You're clinging on to me for dear life."

"Oh, right. I'm just so happy to see you Doc." Jack's arms flopped back down on the bench. "So what's been happening in the life of the Time Lord?"

Eight beers later, the Doctor finished explaining how eventful his life had been with the Pond's.

"I guess the main reason I came here was to find out if you wanted to take a few more trips in the old Tardis." The Doctor looked at Jack, puppy dog eyes and all.

"Doctor, you were the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Why wouldn't I want to get in the Tardis again?!" Jack leaped off the stool and fell flat on his face. "Maybe I shouldn't have had so much to drink."

The Doctor picked him off the ground and wrapped Jack's arm around his own neck.

"It's so like you to get drunk and make me drag you back to the Tardis! You haven't changed a bit."

"But you love me for it!" Jack grinned.

The Doctor sighed and opened the Tardis door. He did love Jack in his own little way, but not when he was almost buckling under the weight of carrying him.

Jack looked up as the Doctor pulled him into the Tardis. "I see you've redecorated since I've last been here. I don't like it. It's too orange!"

"Stop it. My Tardis is gorgeous no matter how she looks." The Doctor dropped Jack on the steps and stroked the console. "I love you baby."

"Could you maybe not flirt with the Tardis while I'm still here? You're turning into me." Jack heaved himself up the steps. "Now where's the bedroom. If you don't tell me I'll probably get lost in your library and vomit on your books."

"Pass the swimming pool in the library and you'll see a red door. Open it and take the first left. Oh and if you vomit on my books, I will personally escort you to the end of the universe yet again." The Doctor grinned like a little child on Christmas day.

"Always you and your books. You should have married them instead of this River you were telling me about." Jack stood up and walked down the corridor, leaving the Doctor alone.

_Why did I have to choose him?_


	4. Hello again!

Chapter 4: Hello again!

The Doctor pulled out a hammock and set it up underneath the Tardis console. He preferred to have his naps while swinging. And besides, hammocks were cool. He tied the ends onto his usual poles and lay down, the gently rocking motion relaxing him. He needed to relax. Maybe that was why he chose Jack. He was carefree and wouldn't mind chilling on a beach planet even if there was no one else there. But there were always people when Jack was around. He was a magnet. A magnet for anything that moved.

_No. You need sleep. Stop thinking. _

The Doctor cleared his mind and let the swaying take him back to his childhood memories, when everything was simpler.

"Doctor! Wake up!"

The Doctor awoke to see Jack standing near the end of the hammock, rocking it violently. The surprise of seeing Jack there startled him. He fell out and landed with a thud.

"You know, I don't like to be on the ground straight after I've woken up."

"Well sorry!" Jack had that slight hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I just thought you would want to know when your precious Tardis screen was flashing with an urgent message!"

This got the Doctor interested. No one had ever been able to send a message to the actual Tardis. He was up off the floor, on his feet and at the Tardis console faster than you could say "Bow tie". He looked at the screen. Jack wasn't joking. It looked urgent. The Doctor fiddled with a few of the knobs until a familiar face appeared on screen.

"Kate Lethbridge-Stewart! I wasn't expecting to hear from you so quickly!"

Kate laughed. "Doctor, it's been 3 years."

"If it makes you feel any better, it's only been a month for me." The Doctor grinned. "So how did you get linked straight through to the Tardis?"

"Let's just say that UNIT has some impressive technology. But enough chit chat. We found something you might want to come and take a look at Doctor."

"You people at UNIT always know how to get me interested. Still under the Tower of London?"

"Do you really think we'd be anywhere else?"

"Was that sarcasm, Stewart? I've got enough sarcasm with the person I'm travelling with. And in the past history of UNIT, you seem to get a new hideout every 5 years or so. I'll be there in a minute."

The Doctor fiddled with some knobs again and the screen went back to its normal layout. "So Jack, do you want to come with?"

"Of course I'm coming! Do you expect me to just sit here guarding your precious?" Jack laughed at his own little joke. "And plus, I don't want to miss out on my first adventure with the new you."


	5. UNIT

Chapter 5: UNIT

The Tardis materialised in the UNIT base. The Doctor poked his head out and saw Kate standing there, tapping her toe.

"For a Time Lord you're not very good at getting here on time."

The Doctor stepped out. "You can blame my companion." He pointed behind him.

Jack practically jumped out of the Tardis. "Captain Jack Harkness, and who are you?" Jack held out his hand to Kate.

"Kate Stewart, head of Scientific Research of UNIT." Kate firmly gripped Jack's hand and shook. "Doctor, I thought you were travelling with Amy?" A confused look crossed her face.

"Oh don't get him started on that. He'll flood the place with tears. And nice to meet you Kate." Jack winked at her. She giggled like a school girl.

"Jack, stop it. We're here to observe, not flirt." Jack frowned. The Doctor turned to Kate. "So Kate, what is it you wanted us to see?"

"Follow me." Kate started walking down a dark corridor. The Doctor and Jack strutted behind. After more twists and turns than the Doctor cared to count, they were lead into a humongous room. "We found it at a power station a few towns away. The person there thought it was a practical joke. We took it away as soon as we could." Kate turned the lights on. The Doctor couldn't believe it.

"A Cyberman! I think someone has been looking at my Christmas list." The Doctor was like a kid. He could hardly contain his excitement.

"It hasn't done anything since we got it here. Is that normal?" Kate was obviously worried. You could see it written across her face.

"No, not with Cybermen," Jack answered. "Have you had any power shortages since you brought it here?"

"Five since we got it here yesterday. Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing this is a bad thing."

"Kate, you need to get everyone out of here. If it escapes, it will kill every single person in this base. Or it will try to convert them." The Doctor grabbed her by the shoulders. "Get everyone out Kate."

Kate pulled her walkie-talkie off of her belt. "Immediate evacuation. I repeat, immediate evacuation. Leave everything here. Just get out."

The group heard the pounding footsteps as the UNIT team got out of the base. After a few minutes, the noise ended. It was just them and the Cyberman.


	6. The Cyberman

Chapter 6: The Cyberman

Jack started pulling out the cables that were connected to the Cyberman. It was tough but after a minute he found it easier.

"What are you doing?!" Kate screeched. "Do you know how long it took to plug that many cables in?!"

"These cables are connected to the power supply, right?" Jack was still tearing cables off the Cyberman.

"Of course they are."

"Well I think the Cyberman has been using you to power up. If you found it at a power station, it must have been low on energy. That's why it hasn't done anything. It's been waiting."

As if on cue, the Cyberman broke free of the chains that were tying it down. It held out its arm. "DELETE! DELETE!" Jack tried to run but it was too late. The Cyberman grabbed hold of Jack's shoulder.

"NO!" Kate ran to try and save Jack but it was too late. His lifeless body collapsed on the floor.

The Cyberman turned to face Kate. "Now might be a good time to run!" The Doctor yelled at Kate from the other side of the room. He started digging through boxes. Kate ran as fast as her legs would take her. It didn't help that all she could hear was the clanking sound of the Cyberman's feet.

"Doctor! In case you didn't notice, I'm running for my life and you're digging through boxes! Some help here would be nice!"

The Doctor pulled out a sword. "Now why would UNIT have a sword?" He wondered aloud.

"I don't know! Just help me Doctor!"

He looked over his shoulder. Kate was cornered and the Cyberman was approaching. There was only one thing he could do. He dropped the sword and whipped out his sonic screwdriver. The sonic waves pulsed through the Cyberman. Clank clank clank. The Cyberman had lost interest in Kate. It was heading straight for the Doctor.

Jack opened his eyes and gasped for air. _I can't believe I just let that Cyberman kill me like that! I didn't even..._

His thoughts were disrupted by the Doctor's insane yelling. He was waving the sonic screwdriver frantically in the air while being chased by the Cyberman. _Only something like that could happen to the Doctor. _Kate was in the foetal position close to the door. _She must be pretty scared. No wonder she's only in charge of scientific research._

It was then that the sword caught Jack's attention. _What's a sword doing in an underground base? _He picked it up and ran to where all the action was happening. "Doctor! Run towards me!"

Jack could see the Doctor's face light up. He held the sword like a baseball bat as the Doctor came charging towards him with the Cyberman in tow.

The Doctor fell to his knees and slid under the sword just as Jack swung. Direct hit. The Cyberman's head landed on the floor with a thud. The body was still standing. Jack dug the sword into the steel chest. It hit the floor.

"You did it!" The Doctor embraced Jack in a bear hug. "You saved us!"

"You sound surprised." Jack grinned.

"Oi. Don't be so smug. Sure, you killed a Cyberman with a sword, but can you handle this." The Doctor grabbed the back of Jack's head, leaned in and kissed.

_Is this a dream?_ Jack thought. _Surely this can't be happening. The Doctor wouldn't just kiss me. There has to be a reason._

_But maybe there isn't a reason. Maybe the Doctor just wanted a kiss._

"Ahem." The Doctor jumped. _How long had we been kissing? It must have been for too long if Kate had felt the need to break it up._"Since when did you kiss your companions Doctor?"

"Only when they save my life," the Doctor lied. He had wanted to do that with Jack for years. He had just never had a chance.

"And Jack," Kate turned to Jack. "How are you alive? I saw you die."

"Uhhhh... It's complicated."

"And what are we going to do with that Cyberman! We can't just put it in the garbage bin!"

"Well that's what we did at Torchwood."

"So now you work for Torchwood AND can't die! Honestly Doctor, where do you find these people? Now if you could help me get this in the garbage, I would be very happy." Kate picked up the head, leaving the Doctor and Jack to carry the body.

Kate escorted Jack and the Doctor back to the Tardis. "I guess I might see you again sometime Doctor."

"If ever you want me, you know where to find me." The Doctor shook her hand then went into the Tardis, leaving her with Jack.

"Until next time Kate." Jack winked at her then closed the door of the Tardis. It dematerialised.

_Time to clean up this place._

(**Author note: **You guys are now all up to date with what I have wrote so far. Chapter 7 might not be around for another few days as I'm still stuck on ideas as to how it will play out. Just thought I'd give you all a heads up before you start a riot or something. Also, I love all of you readers. I only ever thought my friend Christie would read this but I guess I was wrong. Thank you so much for reading.)


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